A blog about the Big Four of the English Premier League

The BigFourza Season Preview – 2009-10

Maddy’s Note:Ok, no quotes this time sadly from this man. However he does have a compelling preview of what he feels could be the things to come. If we go with what he’s saying, I’ll be out of a job next season and we’ll have to find another new manc. Needless to say I totally disagree with you Vishwa. Arsenal are gong to win every damn cup.

After a summer which threatened to be never-ending we are up and ready for some real footballing action. The aims and objectives of the big four clubs in the premier league has always been hinged around more or less the same thing which is, the title. As any regular follower would have observed this aim has been wickedly renamed, rephrased in manners 15000 a penny. Most immediate examples of this are proving-people-right, proving-people-wrong, gamble-paying-off etc. Here is my outlook for each of the big four + one itch-on-the-centre-of-the-spine for the upcoming season.

Arsenal:

You ask them where your silver is, they will give you a lecture on welfare economics. Ask them where are your goals going to come from, they will start drawing a graph between demand and supply. Words and actions of the football club in the past few years clearly vouch for my first two statements.

That aside, the sale of Toure has left them seriously fragile at the back (subject to Senderos’s departure). The list containing Vermealen, Gallas, Djourou and Silvestre (two veterans, one unproven and one unknown) is certainly not enough. Midfield is not the most balanced of midfields. Song is the only decent holding midfield player I can think of and an injury to him would mean Diaby or Denilson would be asked to don the role. This could only compound their defensive woes. The sale of Adebayor wont have a great effect on the goals scoring fortunes of the side as I am expecting Bendtner to step up a gear.

Verdict: 5th Place

Would-be-associated phrase: “…we created a lot of chances but unfortunately, couldn’t take most of them”

Make-or-break man: Alex Song.

Watch-out-for: Nicklas Bendtner.

Chelsea:

Three years since any major trophy. Beaten to most of them by United and now arguably and apparently the strongest side in the league. They have made their intentions clear with the appointment of the Italian Ancelotti at the helm. The only way you can doubt their intent is their decision to sign Sturridge. But then, that’s Chelsea.

They have decent depth in all the departments and have among their ranks some highly proven players. I am not able to spot any particular weakness in their squad and I am sure they are capable of going all the way.

Verdict: 1st

Would-be-associated phrase: “…that was clearly not a yellow”

Make-or-break man: Nicolas Anelka

Watch-out-for: Andriy Shevchenko 😛

Liverpool:

As mentioned earlier they have been seeing next season for quite a while now and now look set to do the same for atleast another year. The sale of Alonso has reduced their chances further and I believe they cannot register a meaningful title challenge unless Aquilani starts playing like God. That my friends. Is not gonna happen.

Sparky has an excellent project in his hands and he went about the entire thing without too much fuss until he signed Adebayor. They have brought proven performers(except Adebayor of course) into the team which when managed shrewdly would yield excellent results. The only concern is their defense which is affecting the balance of the side. But I am sure they would get someone sooner rather than later to fix the hole.

Verdict:3rd

Would-be-associated-phrase: “…. he would be an excellent addition to the squad.”

Make-or-break man: Mark Hughes

Watch-out-for: Robinho

Manchester United:

The departure of Ronaldo has left an un-darnable hole in their fabric. The mere psychological impact is what they should be wary about. They went about the entire transfer business without taking too much risks and Fergie will be hoping to get the best out of whatever team he has got now.

If there is one man in the current squad who is capable of winning the world player of the year it is Dimitar Berbatov. He is probably the only one in the current united squad who is capable of creating and scoring the same amount of goals as Ronaldo. Much of United’s fortunes rely on that Bulgarian.

Otherwise United have an overall balanced team and are capable of mounting a serious title challenge.

7 Responses

And so it begins.. The usual stream of voices, saying Arsenal won’t make the Top 4 this year.

Manchester Citeh really? Where are their fullbacks, the defense ? Two overweight stumbling defenders in Dunne and Toure along with an injury prone, unproven sweeper like Kompany amounts to zilch. Micah Richards is a shadow of the bright young prospect he was a coupla years ago.

They just might get to 4th, given Robinho, Ireland and Tevez. An injury to Ireland or Robinho will leave them bereft of any kinda creativity. Plus, they’re a team that isn’t used to winning, or staying at the top…so they;re prone to Aston Villa type collapses.

Arsenal again, underestimated. The one thing I will say is that with Arsenal, one of the ‘mediocre’ players will have a smashin season ala Flamini. It could be Diaby, Bendtner or Theo. Throw in the class of Cesc, Arshavin and Eduardo ….and a defensive reinforcement…they could potentially win it. That is, if they stay injury free and start well.

Chelsea 2nd, United 3rd…and Liverpool outta the Top 4.

And yeah, In The Professor we trust. I can just see a gratifying season of orgasmic proportions in the offing…

After the Community Shield and today’s match, I think Drogba is the Watch-out man for Chelsea. As you mentioned, they do seem like the strongest team out there as of now. For a ManU fan to say that, it must mean something 🙂

Passionate Gunner,
I must tell you that there are too many “if”s in your statements. And the fact of life is that if all our “if”s turn out be as we want it to be then there would be no hitch in anyones life.

“If” we offer a level playing field and grant all the “if” s of the remaining four Arsenal would stil come fifth.So no point in saying “If we had done that…” and “If we had remained injury free..” etc.

Otherwise i must tell you i was fairly surprised at the way Arsenal performed yesterday but then they are Arsenal. Sometimes they beat the best teams without much effort and the very next week lose to really unknown clubs effortlessly. IN their inconsistency i trust.

As regards Man City not used to staying at the top, they have bought two players from Arsenal, one from Madrid, two from Chelsea, and one who won two titles and a champs league at United. If anything, they d be used to staying at the top. With the amount of money they d be spending now and in Jan i can see a bright future for them in this season.

P.S: throughout whatever i have written i was trying to objective in my opinion. Otherwise which United fan would say Utd will finish second and the blue cunts of Manchester third.